R&B
Allstars
Vancouver,
British Columbia
1978
- 1990's
Members
Paul
Baron ~ Trumpet
Glen
Blackford ~ Bass
Ken
Boychuk ~ Hammond B3
Darryl
Burgess ~ Drums
Joani
Bye ~ Guitar, Vocals
Al
Davidson ~ Hammond B3
John
Ellis ~ Guitar, Vocals
Fred
Gass ~ Trumpet
Rick
Hill ~ Drums
Al
Lynch ~ Trumpet, Vocals
Russell
Marsland ~ Guitar
Duris
Maxwell ~ Drums
Alex
Michie ~ Saxophone
Daryl
Miller ~ Drums
Kirsten
Nash ~ Saxophone, Vocals
John
(JP) Pearson ~ Tenor & Baritone Saxophones
Hans
Stamer ~ Vocals
Willy
(The Sweet One) Ward ~ Trumpet, Vocals
Colin
Weinmaster ~ Trombone
John
Winterton ~ Bass
Glen
Widgell ~ Sound
The
band was formed in 1978, and played its first gig at a place called O'Hara's
in Vancouver...April 1979....That weekend we opened for Long John Baldry
and Cathy MacDonald, who had just had a big hit with a cover of "You've
Lost That Lovin Feeling". The original guitarist was Russ Marsland.
Russ was a guitar prodigy from age 14, and still a great player around
Vancouver. The original bassist was Glen Blackford, a 17 year old kid who
did nothing but sit at home and play bass. This was the first band he was
ever a part of, and we could never even get a word out of the kid.....
but he was a very good player. I was the original lead singer/trumpet
and stayed with the band for 1 year until I went on the road with my OUTTA
HAND JIVE BAND. I am still playing, living in kamloops, B.C. and performing
regularly with a 7-piece R&B band modelled after the ALLSTARS.
Our band is "The Salmon Armenians" ("Swimming Upstream in a River
of R&B"). Pix of myself and this band are at
willyward.com..
Willy
(The Sweet One) Ward, June 2004
In
Memory of
Glen
Widgell
The
R & B Allstars in 1989
PAGE 2
If
you have corrections, a neat photo or more information, please send it
to:
Last
Update: 18 September 2006
Credits:
Alex
Michie, Alan Burns, William
Ward, Rick Hill, Colin Weinmaster, Russell
Marsland
Band
# 1024